1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connector assemblies and the protective enclosures associated therewith, and more particularly pertains to a unique cable bridging adapter station for operably connecting CPU and CRT control cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mounting devices for electrical connectors, such as might be used to interconnect various control cables, are generally well-known in the art. In this respect, various adapter and connector systems have been developed and generally, each of the systems have to be specially designed to facilitate a particular use and type of connection requirement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,236, issued to Reiser on July 29, 1980, discloses a specially designed junction box for electrocardiographic leads. The junction box uses a T-shaped housing formed of a separable halves and containing metal plates, while the electrocardiographic leads are mounted along the periphery of the metal plates. The junction box is then connected to a multi-conductor cable and to the associated electrocardiograph. Accordingly, the Reiser junction box performs a specific function and cannot be utilized for purposes other than those disclosed.
By the same token, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,764, issued to Fiske on Oct. 14, 1980, discloses a specially designed connector and adapter system for facilitating the field installation of telephone sets by the utilization of easily installable modularized system components. In this respect, the Fiske system utilizes a pair of connectors electrically coupled back-to-back and mechanically secured in this relationship by a protective support medium, such as epoxy and bolts. The connector assembly is contained in a protective enclosure which includes a mounting plate having predetermined arrays of mounting points for enabling securance of the connector assemblies therein. A running cable bridging adaptor system also disclosed in Fiske utilizes a plurality of the connector assemblies as modular units for connecting plural wire subsets of a set of wires of an electrical input cable to preselected wires of a series of output cables. As with the Reiser connection means, the Fiske system is designed for a special purpose and use, and is not readily adaptable for facilitating a connection of electrical or control leads associated with devices other than telephones.
There has been at least one attempt to develop a connection means for facilitating an interconnection of computer leads. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,347, issued to Klaiber on Mar. 7, 1967, discloses a computer patch bay formed from a plurality of base blocks. The Klaiber apparatus is designed to substantially reduce the use of plug-in interconnections of patch cords associated with computers and, in so doing, utilizes multi-cavity base blocks each of which has one longitudinal wall formed across one longitudinal edge, while the other longitudinal edge is unwalled or open. At least one longitudinal divider is formed between the longitudinal edges of a block and in addition, each of the base blocks is provided with a transverse wall formed across each transverse edge of the block, with transverse dividers being formed therebetween. Spring contact assemblies may then be secured within the recesses, and the patch bay construction is obtained by disposing the base blocks adjacent to each other. In this manner, the contact assemblies are each electrically shielded and mechanically protected, and the assemblies in differing base blocks are exactly aligned, one with the other, and also with respect to the patch cord tips in a prepatch panel associated therewith. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that the Klaiber patch bay is complex in its construction and further, it is costly to construct and install.
As such, there exist a continuing need for improved CPU and CRT control cable junction boxes which are simple in design, which can be economically manufactured, and which can be easily installed. In this connection, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.